Jazz night in Rothesay with two top artists

THE sense of anticipation ahead of this year’s Isle of Bute Jazz Festival is set to increase thanks to an appearance by two stars of the 2011 event in Rothesay next weekend.

Hermie Longalong and George Rodger both performed at last year’s festival, to great acclaim, and will appear alongside the local Tim Saul Trio at the 292 Club on Friday, February 24.

The concert will be the second ‘out-of-season’ gig staged by the Festival’s organising committee, following the highly successful appearance of Rose Room at the Pavilion in November.

Hermie Longalong has been a professional musician all his life, playing flute, oboe and all varieties of saxophone and accompanying many revered musicians such as Billy Eckstine and Carol Kidd, and will return to Bute in May to play at the 25th Isle of Bute Jazz Festival.

George Rodger, meanwhile, has been playing guitar and singing for more than 50 years, starting with the skiffle/pop boom and developing into jazz after his teens, playing in both small and big band line-ups.

He will appear at next Friday’s concert on guitar and vocals and will also join the local Tim Saul Trio, comprising Tim on piano, David Gray on drums and Paul McKay on bass, in accompanying Hermie himself.

Doors open at the 292 Club at 7pm next Friday, and tickets, priced £10, can be purchased in advance from Brechin’s Brasserie in Bridgend Street (tel 01700 502922).